The Day of Thunder

[Chuchu]

Chu covers her mouth to just barely hide another giggle. "Yes please," She answers softly, doing her best to maintain the façade of an official delegate instead of a teenager wanting to hang out with one of her favorite friends and his family. It's been months since she took Human with a Nose to meet Chasing Tomorrow in a dream -- soon she'll get to see almost all of the family, in person, and maybe give them all a hug!

"You lead us the way, Ji-yo So-ryu?" She asks with her voice. What she really says, though -- under the knowing glances of the other nezumi, some of whom seem greatly amused by it -- is, "meet me (elsewhere)?" in soft in-between whistle-chitters and whisker twitches.

[Jiyo Sora]

"I would be delighted."

It was, after all, the truth. While his ability to speak Nezumi without heavily calling upon the Void was somewhat limited, he understood it perfectly well, so one answer would suffice for both questions.

Some time later, when the delegation had been shown to their quarters (selected by consultation with the Nezumi Ambassador in Residence for their salubrious aroma and pleasing auditory vistas), Soryu brought a guest home for dinner.

Sora greeted his Nezumi friend warmly, Reiko and Kozan with the unbridled enthusiasm and curiosity of youngsters the world over... and Kinyoubi with an arched eyebrow and quietly amused smile.

[Chuchu]

Chu is, of course, absolutely delighted to play with Soryu's younger siblings -- once she's hugged both Sora and Kinyoubi, of course, and pounced on Soryu for his own omigosh I haven't seen you in forever hugs, and told Chomper he's a good-good boy yes he is. The nezumi does her best to be a good guest, eating all the food they give her and not wandering off into rooms she thinks she's not supposed to go into, though Chu can't help but explore and stop and stare and sniff at everything and ask Soryu or his parents about what this, that and the other are or about. (Paintings and flowers in particular catch her attention as does anything shiny or nice smelling.)

"Chu wanna see gardens!" She eventually cheeps out once it's gotten dark. "And foxes! ...please?" Her voice has that pleading tone it gets when she wants an accomplice for whatever mischief she wants to get up to, and she gives Soryu her best impression of a begging puppy, which she's pretty sure sometimes works, since Chomper does it too.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora fixed his son with a rather intense look.

"Gardens, yes. Getting chased into the koi pond by foxes, no."

"Aw, Dad..."

"The foxes were there first."

"... Fine."

"I think you made them miss your sisters, I really do..."

"Fine, fine..."

Soryu started edging toward the door.

[Chuchu]

"Will be good good yes! See soon!" Chu chirps to Sora, one of her rare fibs. She absolutely wants to play with the foxes. The shaman scampers out first, giving Soryu an excuse to follow her giggling outside into the yard.

He finds her staring up at the night sky. No matter where you are in the world, the stars are the same; those same stars watched over your ancestors, and will greet your descendants in kind. She's always found them comforting. At the sound of Soryu's footsteps she looks to him with another giggle. "You tease foxes often?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Well, uh... yeah. Used to, anyway. My older sisters- Phi and SHirayuki, they, ah.... kinda had a running war with Uncle Yuzuru's foxes. The fox would try to steal their breakfasts, they'd try to catch him and make him attend their tea parties. And, well.... they taught me how to, you know. Practice on the other foxes..."

[Chuchu]

"Practice tea parties?" Another giggle. Some people just like messing with cute things, she thinks. Silly. "Show Chu all the secret places? And the foxes?" She offers a hand to Soryu, expecting him to lead her around like she led him.

[Jiyo Sora]

He took her hand.

"Shirayuki always liked ambushing from this tree over here... but Phi said she was being too predictable, so they actually made a bit of a tunnel through this shrubbery over here..."

[Chuchu]

She tugs Soryu towards the fabled tunnel to give it a peek, swinging their hands between them as she does. Once again Chu barrages her human friend with questions: "Did you try snacks? Did you catch baby fox? Lots baby foxes here in spring?"

....................................................................................................................................................

[Jiyo Sora]

Three Years Later

Sora blinked his mismatched eyes, apparently at a loss for words.

His son stared back at him, looking both eerily self-possessed and yet somehow simultaneously terrified.

"You... want to run that by me again?"

"I thought it was pretty clear."

"So did I, which is why I need to hear it again."

"We'd like to marry."

Sora glanced from his son to Chuchu.

"It's just a bit of an... adjustment for your old father."

[Chuchu]

Chuchu smiles up at Sora as she squeezes Soryu's hand. "Yes yes!" The nezumi -- not so little anymore, though still short coming up short beside her favorite human -- pipes up. "I know it is... unprecedented, but... it's what we want!" Her ears raise as her confidence does. "We are nnich'charatha -- Name of my Name."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Uhm.... I know you both want children, so, ah.... pardon my asking, but doesn't the... species difference...?"

"In Void and Name, there are ways. The things we can do with our combined gifts are... miraculous."

"I.... well. I can't say I disapprove. But... if I'm being this..."

Sora's eye reached out to him, then.

It would never be common, or easy. In none of the futures it showed him were Nezumi/Human pairings common.

But this way, someone would always be Chasing Tomorrow.

"What's your Name, then?"

[Chuchu]

She touches her heart, its warm glow pulsing beneath her fingers. "My Name is Mother of Ten Thousand Dreams..." An auspicious Name, a sacred Name. Her dark, shining eyes turn to Soryu, gaze softening as she tries not to melt. "And your son, Dreams of Harmony, may his Name echo across eternity." Chuchu hides a giggle behind her hand then, feeling shy at both sharing their new Names, and at how entwined they are. It's hard not to feel giddy. Love is a fun, fluttering thing, and her dreams have led her here.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Then I'll go along. Can't speak for anyone else, but... I'll be there for it."

"We'll be there for it." Kinyoubi walked in, smiling fondly. "And your brothers and sisters, Soryu."

"See, that's why she's been the brains of the family since it began..."

"Honestly, Sora. Reiko and Kozan saw this coming, and they're not even ten yet."

"That's because children are more open to possibility. Which is just one more reason why the future is a good thing."

[Chuchu]

"Yes yes!" Chuchu cheeps happily. "Together, we'll create a Tomorrow that's good for children, won't we?"

....... END